Raising Naruto
by ScarlytteNightshade
Summary: After the death of his girlfriend, Minato Namikaze finds himself the 17 year old father of one Naruto Uzamaki.   AU and quite possible overdone set of drabbles   Title subject to change.
1. So Scared

~~So Scared~~

Fanfic #: 1036

Rating: T

Summary: A scared Minato is terrified that they won't pull through...

Character(s)/Pairing(s): Implied Minato X Kushina, not-so-random others

Genre(s): Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Family

Date Written: 28 April 2011 ((ha, 11:59PM is it!))

Date Published: 29 April 2011

Word Count: 2 May 2011

Dedication: My Daddy, coz he is the best!

AN:/: Incredibly AU...Probably overdone, but hey, it's my story! R&R so I can get better! ((Believe me, I know it needs a lot of work, I'm just too busy to find the mistakes lately because of preparations for my SENIOR YEAR!))

_No..._

"Mr. Namikaze, are you there?"

I shake my head before thinking she can't see me. "Are you sure it's her? Are you sure?" I hit the wall beside me as my voice grows louder. Sheetrock crumbles to dirty floors as I pull my fist out of the crates. I'm shaking. "If this is Kakashi pulling some fucked up prank I'll—''

"Please calm down."

I slow my breathing, thanking the gods for my condition practices.

"Ms.. Uzamaki doesn't have much time, she say's you're the boy's father."

A crash to tile floors from behind me. The world stills. I can't even breathe. I'm suffocating because I never thought I would become a father, I'm the school star...there's no way a baby..._no!_

Jiraiya's hand on my shoulder forces me back into facing reality.

"Tell her she better still be there when I get there."

I do not wait for a reply. I do not go to bathe the day away. I do not change out of clothes more suited for a jog.

I begin running. The blur of my small city flashes by, but I still hear the shouts of 'damned brat' that haunt my every outing. But right now, I do not care. One mile, two miles, three miles; they blur by. I see nothing of the afternoon's beauty.

Five minutes...it takes that for my lazy days. Now, I'm arriving only three from the time I hung—ran away from—the phone.

The doors open. A nurse meets me at the door. She addresses me by name. Lady Tsunade's apprentice. I don't care. She drags me to a room with a paling Kushina. Jagged gashes decorate her stomach. How is she still awake?

Her hand tries to reach out. It falls limp by her side. A man in a suit asks if she can sign the certificate. She nods. Then I'm beside her. She tries to whisper something. It's harsh and mangled. I notice the gash by the base of her throat. I can't tell her beautiful hair from blood.

"Where's the baby?" I'm still shaking, but not as bad as her as I speak.

"He may not live."

I spin, snarling. The cold doctor stares at me with iced over eyes. Madara—Tsunade's new guy?

"Mr. Namikaze, the custody papers?"

I'm in a daze. I'm still angry, but I sign. They sign. She signs. They all sign!

Kushina tugs gently at my hand, now unable to speak. 'Baby Naruto...' The words are mouthed. I ask one of the nurses working on the monitor—I'm becoming confused, why aren't they saving her?-for our son. She refuses. I snarl.

"Calm down..."

A pressure point is hit. My body loosens, but I do not fall. Turning, I see Tsunade already placing a too small infant in Kushina's arms.

I move closer, Kushina mouths 'hold me.' Carefully, I climb beside her, ignoring the blood as I hold her and our quiet baby.

Tears scald me. They're my own...I've never cried...I look at them...I know I'm losing them...

I place my lips over Kushina's before her eyes lose the light. I hear a scream. Who's screaming? I touch her face. Then I kiss her again. I feel for a pulse on our child—too afraid to look. There is none...I've lost them.

The screams are mine. Tsunade throws me across the room. She takes my baby. She is taking my baby!

"Naruto!"

She sobs and shakes her head. "He's too premature."

I'm beside her now, Naruto now blanketless in my hands as I hold him above my head. "Wake up and I swear to the the gods you can have all the ramen you want!" I bring him under my chin. "I love you, please don't leave me, Naruto...You're all I've got..."

A tear splashes on his blond hair as a baby's scream shatters the room's despair.

I hold the screaming boy—my beautiful baby boy—above my head and cry more agonizing tears. Blond spikes adorn his too-small head. He's weak, scrawny, and covered in blood. How can I love him so much?

Tsunade smiles before rushing us away to the NICU. I don't care...He's gunna make it...he better believe it!


	2. Meet Naruto

~ Fanfic # 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Meet Naruto

Rating: T

Warning: AU and what * could * be OOC...

Character(s): Minato, Baby Naruto, Tsunade, Jiraiya

Time Frame: The day of Kushina's funeral.

Theme/Summary: Minato gets a call to the NICU...

Date Written: 30 April 2011

Date Published: 4 May 2011

Word Count: 430

Dedication: All the lovely people who faved, reviewed, and alerted! YALL GET A LLAMA!

AN:/: I own some candy coz I ate the apple!

I'm shaking again.

Dammit, why am I shaking?

I force my hands to still in my lap as Jiraiya pulls into the hospital's parking lot. I don't want to do this...I'm _so _scared coz of my Naruto. Why does Tsunade demand I come in immediately?

I'm still in the car. Jiraiya's looking at me with that "boy-I'll-whoop-your-ass-get-out-of-the-car-NOW!" glare. I do. I hate the way that the weather changes in the fall. I hate that I'm burying my other half today...on a Sunday...only three days after she gave me a son.

My steps match Jiraiya's now. I can tell he's just as terrified as I am. I continue to shake now. "Dammit! Why am I shaking?"

Jiraiya's hand pats my shoulder. Oops, didn't mean to say that out loud.

"Why is it that you people are all the same?" Lady Tsunade... "Damned brat, come look what you did."

My breath comes normally now. She's...annoyed...or amused...either way it calms my fears...can't be that bad.

She leads us to a nursery—not the NICU? She points to a cradle just in front of the glass. I lean closer, then jump back.

"He's definitely your kid." The fear's gone now. Jiraiya's normal again—despite the suit.

I smile; it's goofy like I'm in love. I guess I am coz I'm staring at the giggling kid who just three days ago nearly died on me and my heart is trying to explode. He's tiny—barely thirteen inches long, barely six pounds.

He's moving around so much!

"He's set to go home today."

My smile falls. Home? Damn it all to hell, Kushina's parents hate me...if they even took Naruto, I'd never see him again. "Oh."

"What do you mean 'Oh?'" She smacks me—hard—across the back of my head. "Are you not excited to bring your baby home? Damned brat!" She hits me again, gently this time.

I'm in shock. "He's coming home with me? To live?"

Jiraiya snorts. "Apparently Ms. Kushina pulled some strings of her own."

Tsunade laughed. "No, she'd been planning the custody thing since she found out about Naruto." Tsunade begins walking into the nursery. I try to follow, but she stops me. A tear hovers in her eye. She walks in and picks up my baby—gods, those words sound so weird...

She's back an instant later, holding a cooing lil' fish cake of a kid. "Call if you need something."

I nod, I'm shocked. How did he get better so quickly?

"We're going to be late."

I nod...and we leave.


	3. Baby Mine

~ Fanfic 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Baby Mine

Rating: K+ ((a few *almost* curse words though))

Warning:OOC and the like. Oh, and things will be kind of quick for a chapter or two, but don't worry, It's not going to stay that pace. It may be

like a drabble sometimes, but it will at least not be rushed after this...

Character(s): Minato, Baby Naruto

Time Frame: moments after getting Naruto

Theme/Summary: Minato sits in the warm sunshine and talks while Jiraiya's out getting supplies.

Date Written: 30 April 2011

Date Published: 6 May 2011

Word Count: 834

Dedication: abso-freaking-no-idea

AN:/: I own nothing!

* * *

><p>I'm sitting on the curb staring at my kid. He's sleeping with a smile on his face. It's weird coz I've thought about something like this before...I'm only seventeen, I'm still a kid myself! How an I supposed to raise one? My own parents never wanted me...<p>

The wind lifts my hair away from my face, and I try my best not to shed tears that well in my eyes. I'm thinking of my self when _he—_the tiny child in my arms—deserves everything I can give. I don't want to be like the bastards that abandoned me the moment I came screaming into this world...

I look down into his whiskered face—three tiny slashes on each cheek—I'm stunned at how amazing he is. Tiny body, tiny nose, tiny eyes filled with fire that remind me of his mother...What am I doing?

The wind dies down as I look around at the people milling aorund the hospital entrance. The ellderly give me wide berth, making comments about my age. Forget them. It's not them I need to prove anything to...it's my Lil Fishcake.

I laugh in spite of myself. Really, I'm calling him Fishcake? Eh, I guess coming from the Yellow Flash it makes enough sense. Besides, I look down at him again, it kinda suits him with the orange blanket with swirls over it. Heh, the color suits him though...Kushina always wore red and I can't get any brighter yellow...yeah, orange suits him...

A muffled sigh reaches my ears from the still-sleeping baby, and for a moment, all I can think of revolves around him. "I love you." I catch myself laughing slightly and continue. "I promise that I'll finish school and that I'll do my best to always be there. I promise that from this day forward, the Yellow Flash of Konoha High will only run to you. I want to be the type of man Jiraiya is." I grimace. "Well, maybe not entirely, but once you get to know him he's an awesome person." Winking, I bring my knees closer so that I can touch my nose with his. "But, you need to know that from this day on, we're a team, okay? I need you..." I choke, feeling the tears begin to sting and burn in my eyes.

Sobbing, I bring him to my chest to hold him there. If he leaves me too...I just don't know...Already the lil Fishcake is becoming the ruling factor in my life.

A tear splashes on Naruto's whiskered face. I'm crying again. That's all I'm able to do...

A soft snuffle makes me look down as my son—my beautiful lil' Fishcake—wakes up. My blue eyes stare out of her face. How can he look so much like us both to the point it looks like someone mixed us together into one being? How?

"What's wrong, Naruto?"

His face scrunches up and the tears come. The noise hurts my ears, but I don't know how to make it stop! Is he okay? Gods, have I screwed up already?

I shoot to me feet, not caring about the dirt on my as—I mean bottom, I'm _going_ to stop cussing. I bounce on my feet, an old nervous habit, and he begins to calm slowly. I hear the empathetic whisperings of the elderly recounting to their partners about their first time holding their kid.

Da—ng! I must seem so terrified...

The bouncing isn't working anymore. I scramble for _something_. I cradle him close and words I haven't heard since infancy come out of my mouth.

_"Baby mine, don't you cry."_ his tears fall silent as he blinks and looks up at me. _"Baby mine, dry your eyes,Rest your head close to my heart."_ My voice chokes. _"Never to part, baby of mine."_

His eyes close as I kiss the top of his head and continue humming the song just beneath my breath. How long has it been since I sang? I shake my head, forcing my unruly spikes to bounce and sway. Too long. I had forgotten that I _could_ sing.

People are staring at me. Darnit, why do people always staring at me? Oh, yeah, neon blonde in the midst of downtown Tokyo...That would explain it...

I glance around. The cars are still the same as when I got out here. Too many and—oh, there he is!

Looking slightly panicked, I race towards the still moving car where Jiraiya is hiding his face. I want to ask why he's hiding his face, but the sound of his soft laughter warns me that I don't want to know.

"You did good."

I grimace as he stops the car to put sleeping Naruto into the car seat. I wait until he finishes before sliding into the backseat beside my whole world. Jiraiya looks as if he wants to say something, but he doesn't so neither do I. We both dread the day to come, and the day to come tomorrow...


	4. Diapers

~ Fanfic 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Diapers

Rating: K+/T-

Warning: OOC and mild cursing

Character(s): What do you think? LOL...

Time Frame: the 1st night at home...

Theme/Summary: Minato convinces Jiraiya to change a diaper.

Date Written: 9 May 2011

Date Published: 9 May 2011

Word Count: 422

Dedication: all the lovely reviewers, readers, alerters, and favorited! THANK YOU!

AN:/: I own nothing!

* * *

><p>I hum to my lil Fishcake. Jiraiya fiddles with the door before he curses the invention. I ignore him for the moment, but the growling in my stomach warns that I won't be for long. The over-complicated lock finally lets us in after a few more choice words. Really? The da-erm...dang perv cusses around my kid?<p>

I drag myself down the narrow hallway. Ugh, I hurts everywhere, but no where compares to the hole in my chest...but those can be dealt with later. I finally make it to my bedroom door—the neon yellow one directly parallel to the main one—only to find my hands full of diaper bag and baby. Well shi—crap.

I shift my weight uneasily as I try to free one of my hands. It doesn't work too well. The uneven actions wake Naruto, who in turn begins to scream. I bounce again and try to hum, but his screams only get louder. His tiny fists ball beneath his blankets and his tiny feet kick out in...anger? Fear? I grimace and look down when a sudden warmth touches my skin through the thin undershirt.

"Um, Jiraiya?"

His head pokes out of the kitchen door at the far end of the hall. He looks slightly amused. "Yes, my darling godson?"

Ugh, it's too damn late—darn, I did it again! "Please," I grimace again coz of how exasperated I sound even to myself. "The door?" I hate the grimace that crawls across my face as Naruto's screams threaten to destroy my ears.

The door opens, yes! I'm in! I clamber over the now slipping bag and nearly make it inside before he yowls again. Glancing at the clock, I groan. Damn,-ugh-year twelve begins tomorrow—oops, I glance again, today and I don't even know how to change my kid's diaper!

I disentangle myself from the bag and try to stand. As usual, I trip over my dress shoes. I—oh my gods, how many times a day can I do this without my face falling off—grimace at the pain shooting through my toes. "So tired..."

I stifle the yawn that's coming. I think Jiraiya noticed though, coz he takes Naruto. The lil brat silences instantly, despite being soaked. Damned bratling—I'm not even gunna punish myself for that one!

"Want me to watch him tonight?"

I jump. Part of me—the tired one—demands I say yes...but I don't want to...I shake my head, but speak anyways. "Could you change him?"

Jiraiya laughs.

I don't. "I'm serious."


	5. The Toughest Decision

~ Fanfic 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: The Toughest Decision

Rating: K+

Warning: Bent ages, slight OOC

Character(s): the usual.

Time Frame: Minato's first day of school

Theme/Summary: Minato panics a little bit...

Date Written: 20 May 2011

Date Published: 25 May 2011

Word Count: 1041

Dedication: My favorite Freshman to whom I confessed my love of Naruto. Thanks for not laughing. I LURVES YEW!

AN:/: Okay, I won't be updating as often as I planned due to my being without internet for most of the summer. That means I can have longer chapters with fewer mistakes! Well, this is the one I've been working on, please enjoy!

I don't need the blaring alarm to wake me. I've been awake since yesterday, but I'm not sleepy. I'm laying on my bed with my kid—who finally went to sleep around three—just ignoring it. I'm sure it's really ticking (hey, I didn't slip up that time!) Jiraiya off, but that's okay. He needs it.

Ugh, I can smell myself. Ew? Shifting out from under the sleeping baby on my chest, I glance at the alarm. School starts in two hours...two hours until I'm going to be forced to make a decision. I don't want to make one! Why can't someone tell me what to do for once? Well, they do that a lot, but really? The one time I need them to and they back away with hands up? What kind of Karma is that? I hate—no, I'm not even going to finish that sentence.

I place Naruto on the pillow before forcing myself to crawl off my amazingly comfy bed. I stumble over the fallen blankets. Ow, I twist my ankle and eat carpet, barely I avoid slamming my head on the corner of my beside table. Karma much?

For a minute I'm just going to stay on the floor and throw a tantrum. Okay, not really, but it'd make me feel a lot better! I don't know how I'm going to support Naruto _and_ stay in school. If I stay in school, do I give up track? If I give up track, can I still get _**some**_ type of scholarship? If I drop out, who'd hire me? I guess I could take up the offers from the Hyuuga or the Uchiha...but would I be home to tuck my Naruto in at night? No, more than likely not. Nor would my life be guaranteed. Maybe I could...that may work...but ANBU requires a diploma...UGH!

The lights flick on. Crap, Jiraiya time. "Go away."

"Is that anyway to speak to the man who is as amazingly awesome as I am?"

I'm saying nothing. Amazingly awesome pervert...Darn, I wasn't gunna say anything! Drats—OO! I like that one! Why haven't I used it before? I'm going to lay here coz I * so * don't want to think about anything!

I sniff my carpet. Now I wanna vomit. When was the last time I cleaned my carpet? "I should stay home and clean!"

Jiraiya's foot connects with my side. "Nope."

Drats—hey I'm getting better at this—I guess he told me.

I groan as I push myself to my feet. It's 6:03...has it really been thirteen minutes? I look over my shoulder to see Naruto sleeping on my pillow. He's still so tiny! Barely four days old and he's already strong. The car accident that nearly ended his life left him with thin whisker like marks on his cheeks. They make him kinda look like a fox, so I bought him a fox shaped pajama set yesterday.

I shake myself. 6:10 already?

I rush into the bathroom, ignoring the small mountain of clothes on my floor. I'm washing myself quickly so I can hurry and be able to feed mah bebe! Besides, if I don't get to school early, I'll never be able to avoid Anko...EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

I step out of the shower to Naruto's yowls. It sounds like he's hungry—WTC? When did I gain _that_ little gem of insight? Dude, what else can I do?

I'm out the door of the bathroom and into the kitchen and have no clue why I don't remember getting there. Eh, c'est la vie*.

"Oi, Jiraiya!"

Groggily, he pokes his head into the kitchen. He'd gone back to bed: the bastard. "Wha' d'ya want?"

"I need you to take me to school." He blinks. "That means getting dressed." He's blinking at me again! The oaf! "Now!"

"Eh, whatever." His door closes.

Now for the fun part...

I step through into the hallway and freeze. Naruto's yowls are hurting my ears, telling me that he needs food in hat tiny tummy of his, and quickly. "Yeah yeah yeah, mah Fishcake, I'm coming."

My feet move and my hands fly and grab things I'd never touched before I brought him home. The sleep now nagging at my mind would have irritated me beyond all reason just the day before yesterday. It doesn't even disturb me. How can I change so much so quickly?

I'm finished. I test the formula on my wrist.

Something hits my face and falls to the floor. My fingers tighten around the cooling bottle, but I drop it anyways. The glass-like material shatters with a sickening peal of sound against marble floors. Time slows. I look to the origin of the...I pick it up...shirt? Jiraiya leans against the doorway, a look of embarrassed annoyance graces his ugly mug as he glares at me.

"Put some clothes on." He groans. "Nobody wants to see that." And walks away.

I look down. The father of my child greets me. Oops. A sigh leaves my lips as I bend to mop the formula. I can't help smiling coz Naruto's cries stopped. I guess Jiraiya went in there because now the baby is laughing. He has more mood swings than...than Kushina...

My knees try to give out, but I'm refusing to fall. I push the pain away, swallowing it like a bitter pill. I release the counter. I was unaware that I'd grabbed it...

I steady myself. Twenty steps lay between me and the only thing I have left of her...the first is hard. I do not want to move...but I have to...

True to my moniker of the Yellow Flash, I'm now in my room pulling on my pants. Twenty, twenty-five seconds and I'm completely dressed. This is a new record for me!

"Slow down Minato, it's only," the grandfather clock in the hallway chimes once. "Six-thirty. What's the rush?"

I laugh. Great, I'm losing it. Seventeen years old and I'm losing my mind!

Jiraiya's looking at me weirdly, but I can't stop. I don't really want to stop either. If I stop, I'll die from the pain and the pressure. I'm drowning as it is!

A fist—damn, no time to dodge—connects with my face.


	6. Choice Words

~ Fanfic # 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Choice Words

Rating: T

Warning: Eh, Ooc and family drama. Oh, a flipped out Minato and pissed off Sarutobi

Character(s): psycho!Minato, petrified!Jiraiya, and flaming!Sarutobi

Time Frame: First day of school.

Theme/Summary: During the parent principal meeting, Jiraiya goes off on Minato's ass.

Date Written: 14 June 2011

Date Published: 14 June 2011

Word Count: 246

Dedication: Mr. and Mrs. Harrie for asking me to baby-sit and then paying me WAY more than expected. It's appreciated, I loved your little boys, they're the best behaved kids I've ever watched!

AN:/: Don't own!

Dammit. My jaw hurts. Worse yet, I don't _even_ remember getting into the car (or off the floor, damn that man can hit!), let alone my principal's austere office. Seriously, I'm looking around and it's practically empty! It's a good thing he's not here yet. I can just imagine what the headlines would read in tomorrow's morning paper: Principal of Prestigious School Obliterates All-Star Athlete For Dropping Out.

"I swear, if that boy is trying to do what I think, he's dead."

Crap. I'm * so * screwed. Who the fuck told Old Man Sarutobi?

A hand fists in my hair, pulling my out of my chair. "You can't be * that * stupid." He lets go and moves to sit behind his desk. His wrinkled brow is creased over his forehead and between his ancient, far-seeing eyes: a sure sign he's barely holding staving off his legendary temper. Yup, someone told him. I'm dead. I'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdead. D. E. D. dead. LOL, sounds better that way. "As if I'd let the boy I spent so much time teaching and tutoring do something as stupid as drop out of school."

I shrank into my chair. Find previous sentiment and repeat it. A million times. "It was an option, but—"

"It's never an option!" His hands slam against the desk, causing it to groan under the abuse. "What about ANBU?."

I grimace. Ugh. I'd forgotten about it since this morning. What about ANBU...

**Sorry to cut so short again, since I'm baby-sitting, I have to do this when I can. Sorry for the brevity. Well, ja!


	7. Determination

~ Fanfic # 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Determination

Rating: T

Warning: Eh, Ooc and family drama. FLASH BACK!

Summary: During the parent principal meeting, Jiraiya goes off on Minato's ass.

Date Written: 20 July 2011

Date Published: 27 July 2011

Word Count: 700

Dedication: To being home!

AN:/: Don't own!

_ "Kushina, do you ever think about the future?"_

_ She turns to me as we lay in the grass in the park between our homes. "Sometimes, but it normally involves being the first female Hokage." Her green eyes light up and dance. _

_ She captivates me and I don't even think she realizes it. She dreams of being Hokage, but she can't do that with me around...As usual, I hold back those I hold the closet to my heart. I need to end things with her now. We can't go on like this. I can't do that to her. _

_ "Kushina I-"_

_ "If you start that 'I'm holding you back' shit again I _WILL_ beat you." Her hand touches my face, my hair, my neck. I can feel the strength in them, but she only uses enough to let the touch be known. It's amazing—her strength and her control. She will always be the only girl I want to call my own, but somehow I don't think I can. "Minato, if you're so worried about it, why not set a goal for yourself." She taps the end of my nose gently. "That way, you'll be worthy of being my side in your eyes." She looks away. "Coz, you'll always be too good for me in mine." _

THAT_ catches me off guard. How can she _possibly_ feel inferior to me? _Me. _ The war orphan that no one could even look at until they realized how far I can take the school and city. _Me._ The jock that mocked her as a child. "That's not true, Kushina..."_

_ Her lips brush mine gently. "Then make it so." _

_ I grin weakly "I will. I'll be the leader of ANBU before our first child turns 15." _

I shake my head to clear away all the painful memories. Dammit.

I say again: dammit. 

_ "_I want to do it, but how can I be in school for the job of my dreams and have a that supports me and Naruto? Answer that, old man." Fifteen years...I only have fifteen years...It takes five just to do the basic training!

Sarutobi grins. "I hoped you would ask." He picks up the phone and dials a number that I can't see. When the other side picks up, the entire room becomes silent. "Yeah, he agreed." He hangs up.

I reel. What did I agree to? I didn't say yes to anything. Did I? Sugar Honey Ice Tea, I did in his world.

"What did you just get me into?"

Sarutobi grins again before nodding to Jiraiya, who is now nodding, a huge smirk tweaking the corners of his lips. It's scary. I hold Naruto tighter to me. They won't beat me if I'm holding the baby!

"Would you stop pissing yourself and listen for a minute?" No, no Old Man Sarutobi, I will not!

I gulp. Yeah, that's what I * want * to say. Will I? Uh, no? I'm not that stupid. I nod.

"It's," Sarutobi glances at the thin wrist watch. "Only 8:07. Class starts in just a few minutes. Go to class, and report to me at the end of the day."

I nod slowly. This can't be good.

"Jiraiya, you know what to do?"

Jiraiya only smirks wider. WTH? Why do I feel like I am not going to appreciate this?

"Could I be any more exhausted? It's like the teachers want to kill me!" I fall into the squishy armchair in front of the Old Man's desk. It's still empty. Actually, there's no one in here.

"Oi, anyone here?" I lean over the back of the chair. Nope. Just two walls with book cases full of...ugh, books. I yawn before laying my head against the side of the chair.

"This is the brat."

I jump, one hand clutches my chest as I spin. Sarutobi—being the ninja-like old man that he is—entered the room without me hearing him! He brought another man with him. One with a funny-looking mask that I recognized as the head of ANBU. HOLY FLYING MONKEYS!

"Welcome to the program."


	8. Sleepless

~ Fanfic # 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Determination

Rating: T

Warning: Nothing today.

Summary: A little drabble about Minato's lack of sleep.

Date Written: 28 July 2011

Date Published: 4 August 2011

Word Count: 240

Dedication: To being in school!

AN:/: Don't own! Oh, I apologize to maxsunshineAK47. I told you I would update on Wednesday, but I lied accidentally. The first day of school was brutal. D:

I collapse onto my bed. Dawn is breaking through my window; I glance to my clock. Is it really already six o'clock? Ugh. I * really * despise Sarutobi right now...but he did what he had to so that I won't have to drop out...Why do I have a conscience again? It really just gets in the way of taking the easy way. Can't I be a normal teenager for once?

Shaking my head, I glance to the sleeping baby in the cradle beside my bed. I can't.

"Jiraiya!"

He's poking his head in my doorway now, looking dead to the world. "What do you want now?"

I grin tiredly. "Can I drive to school today?" It's a joke, we both know I'm too tired to drive without killing myself.

Jiraiya rolls his eyes.

"Then can we pick up breakfast on the way?" This time he's nodding.

The last few months have been truly hell on my body. I can feel my knees—already bad from years of chasing a track-star dream—pop, and feel my shoulders twinge in agony after carrying bodies and book-bags. I hate how tired I am right now. How bone-weary I am.

Naruto's breath hitches. I'm by him immediately, cradling him in my arms. I fight the yawn trying to tear apart my throat. I'm dog-tired, but seeing my Fishcake's face makes everything worth the pain...I think I'll just sleep when I'm dead.


	9. Teenage Moment

~ Fanfic # 1036 ~

Series: Raising Naruto

Title: Teenage Moment

Rating: T

Warning: Nothing today.

Summary: A little drabble about Minato dealing with no life.

Date Written: 25 August 2011

Date Published: 23 September 2011

Word Count: 346

Dedication: To thunderstorms. :D

AN:/: Don't own! Sorry for the long wait. :D

My head pounds in beat to the obnoxious sound of my once favorite band. Figures I'd stop liking them when Orochimaru got me the tickets I'd been dying for since last year. Figures I would still want to go, despite not liking them—which is weird, if I didn't like them, I never wanted to go before...

Has anything about me stayed the same? I sigh softly.

"Suck it up."

I glare at Jiraiya's best friend. He's the one who wanted me to do this damned job in the first place, and now he's giving me tickets that I'd have died for on the one night that I can't go? What the Skittles, man? What the Skittles?

"Have I mentioned how much I hate your guts?"

The man grins, a snake-like visage that creeps everyone else not of my 'family' out. "I know."

I groan. "I can't go, it's the night of the ceremony." A ceremony that my platoon would be hosting, no less!

"I know." He grins again. "That's why the ceremony will be canceled." The grin dies, replaced by a smile.

I can feel my tongue dry out at the thought. Orochimaru. Orochimaru saying this? How would he know? Sure, he's the ANBU captain, but what does that have to do with anything about canceling meetings? "Whatever."

"Watch." Skeptically I watch him as he's pulling out his phone, grinning like a freaking Arkam patient the entire time. The phone rings a little before I recognize the head honcho's voice. Really? Freaking really? "Code Yellow." I can hear the response of the boss-man saying that the ceremony will be postponed immediately. What the skittles? Orochimaru hangs up. "Happy now?"

"YES!" I do a little dance before finishing my breakfast and rushing to kiss Naruto good-bye and head for school. A break! My heart races a little faster. A break! A break from bone-weariness and school. I can't help but feel excited for a band that I don't even like anymore. Hahaha...funny how things work that.


	10. BabySitter

8 October 2011 ~ Baby-Sitting

"I really hate leaving Naruto in the care of the ultimate Perv, but I can't see letting complete strangers practically raise my son."

The Uchiha nods sagely, a knowing smile pulls at the corners of his thin lips. "I feel much the same way with my own sons."

I heave the body back onto my shoulders while we walk back towards the car. "I didn't know you had any kids."

"Two boys, Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi's almost six, Sasuke is just over one."

I drop the body into the trunk while he tightens his mask and keeps look-out. "Naruto will be one in just a few days." My lips turn downwards. A year. Already?

"We'll have to let them meet one day."

I grin, glad to be pulled back to the now. "Yeah." I hold out my hand. "I'm Minato, by the way."

He takes my hand. "Fuugaku."

And we head our separate ways.

I can't wait to get home. The clock says it's about four am, but he's an hour ahead of me, so I might not get to see mah Fishcake before I have to have my butt in school. I'll be really mad then.

The car accelerates, carrying me towards home, another day of exhaustion followed by four hours of sleep before another hit somewhere. I feel bad for dumping Naruto onto Jiraiya and then having Jiraiya do my homework, but—actually, there is no exscuse. I feel bad for it, but I'll pay him back one day. Maybe when he's too senile, but he'll still be repaid. Besides, baby-sitters don't work for free.


	11. Happy Birthday Fishcake!

Written: 24 December 2011

Published: 31 January 2012

* * *

><p>Today I'm skipping everything. No school, no work, no Jiraiya baby-sitting. It's October 10th. Naruto is one already...<p>

I snuggle closer to his warm body before setting him down to go set up the party. He's come so far. He's been walking for about a month or two (it's actually been one month and seventeen days, but I refuse to admit that I marked the exact moment, coz I was just glad that it happened when I was home).

"Jiraiya, where's the cake?" I stick my head into the fridge, searching for the—yup, I went there—red, orange, and yellow fox themed cake. I stand up too soon, banging my head onto the top.

"Have I ever told you just how mentally challenged you are for a genius?" Jiraiya pats my back and shoves me away from said refrigerator as he reaches above it and pulls down none other than the cake. "By the way, I invited some friends of mine."

I groan, taking the cake. It's never good when he says he's having "friends of his" over to the house. That normally led to sounds of the skeevy sort coming from his room. Blegh.

"Oh don't give me that look, you impudent little punk you." He smacks my head playfully and picks up Naruto from my path to the table. "It's just Tsunade and Orochimaru." He poked Naruto's tummy. "Shizune might be coming."

I nod. I'm just relieved he wasn't bringing Anko. "Cool. I invited Mikoto. I heard she has a son about Naruto's age now too."

Jiraiya shakes his head. "ANBU and the Uchiha...there's something wrong with this friendship."

I place the cake on the table with a snort. What? The thing's huge! "And there's something wrong with the friendship between you and Tsunade. I'm not even going to touch on Orochimaru." I spin to the island and grab the paper plates. Once again: red, yellow, orange.

"That's because you could never understand the rivalry we faced when we were younger." Flames appeared in Jiraiya's eyes, he held his fist in front of his chest in a "dignified" manner. Sometimes I wonder what he's smoking.

"What you really mean is that you chased after me while I excelled in everything."

I spin, nearly dropping everything I'm holding. Orochimaru leaned against the doorway, his long hair pulled back into a low ponytail and he's holding a bag from Toys R Us from his finger. WHEN THE FACE* DID HE GET HERE?

I glance at Jiraiya. He puts Naruto down and crosses his arms in indignation. "You are an ass."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Rai. What if Naru-chan starts repeating what you say?"

I do a double-take. What the face? Orochimaru used Parental Figure Correction. It's super effective! ...I think I've watched to much Pokemon...

Other than the appropriate attitude towards language around children, Orochimaru looked..._normal_. He didn't look like an ANBU captain that could kill someone with his thumb. (Yes, the ANBU _does_ learn how to do this.)

The doorbell rings; I rush to answer it. On the other side is one of my best friends since childhood: Mikoto Uchiha. And someone I hadn't known held any relation to her: Fuugaku.

* "Face" is the word my sister and I use for everything. It works for everything from "You're a face" ((you're an idiot)) to "FACE!" ((F-)). My dad hates it, but hey, I don't feel like getting my face turned around for cursing around my parents.


End file.
